Grand Rapids Press File PhotoTop 10 2009 ArtPrize entry "Grand Dance," by David Lubbers, was on display in the Grand River near the Pearl Street Bridge.GRAND RAPIDS -- Two of ArtPrize's Top 10 finalists from last fall's exhibition and competition are returning to the Grand River for ArtPrize 2010.

David Lubbers, who created the fourth-place winner "Grand Dance," and the Nessie Project team, which built sixth-place winner "Nessie on the Grand," both have received city approval to return to the same sites for the exhibition opening Sept. 22.

ArtPrize 2010 already is shaping up to be bigger and more neighborly with more venues and with seven exhibition centers, each of which will show work by at least 25 artists during the 19-day exhibition.

The 201 venues approved so far surpasses the 159 that displayed work by 1,262 artists in the inaugural exhibition and competition founded by Rick DeVos.

Newcomers in Heritage Hill include Hillmount Condominiums and Grand Rapids Community College's Spectrum Theatre, joining venues such as The Castle, the site of ArtPrize's first outdoor installation, John Clement's "Jelly Bean," last August.

First-time venues on the West Side include Ferris Coffee & Nut Co., O'Toole's Public House, and Brann's Steakhouse and Grille.

"These niche districts are truly taking on a whole new life since last year's competition," DeVos said.

Matching between venues and artists will be held between June 1 and July 1.

But city staff this week approved the two requests to use the Grand River for a venue, said Jose Reyna, the city's fiscal services manager.

"They knew what the challenges were to install a work in the river," Reyna said. "So they understood the realities of placing something in the river."

The early deadline was set up to ensure timely state approval. Reyna said he expects both to be approved by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment.

Lubbers' preliminary proposal is for a 65-foot-tall structure, twice as tall the 30-foot kinetic sculpture installed last fall in the river between the Grand Rapids Public Museum and the JW Marriott.

"'Flying Pig' is kind of a combination of industrial and animal," Reyna said. "It's large as well, with some moving parts, propelled by water."

Project leader Thomas Birks was out of town and couldn't be reached for comment.

Authorities decided in March to allow no more than three entries in the river for ArtPrize 2010. As it turned out, only three proposals were submitted, but the third was rejected.

"There were some technical issues as to whether it would be feasible," Reyna said. "We weren't confident that what they were proposing would be achieved."